Thankful for friends

 

 

The last four Sundays

The work of our hands. It was really fun.

 

Back at church

 The best parts are singing out loud again, and bumping into friends.

 

I didn't realize how much I missed just sitting around and chatting until today. That 3rd wave lockdown was brutal.

 

 

Interesting. E__ from CG just sent me this devotional from Pastor Albert. 5 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have been friends with the people from my CG. But today, God used one of them to encourage me. It would not have been possible without the journeys that He has brought all of us on, and yes, all of journeys have involved suffering and unanswered prayers as well as answered prayers:

Day 09: Don't Waste your Waiting

Reading: Acts 8

 

What does it look like when you are thrown into a situation you don't expect and don't like?

 Meet Philip!

 Well, you met Philip before. He was one of the seven men chosen to help the widows in Acts 6.

 Philip was a Greek-speaking Jew. He was probably born and raised "overseas," far enough from Jerusalem that he spoke Greek well.

 Philip was both godly and competent. The Bible describes him as "full of the Spirit and wisdom." (6:3) People like him have a unique "competitive edge". He could be pretty successful in this society.

 However, out of no fault of his own, he was thrown into chaos. A mega-persecution broke out in Jerusalem where he lived and worked. Just overnight, he was forced to leave! He was "scattered". (8:1) Jobless and homeless.

 Philip could justifiably file his complaint!

 "God, I lived my life properly and I served you and the poor well. Why do you treat me like this?"

 

1. Every moment is a sacred moment

 No! Philip didn't complain. He knew that every moment is a sacred moment, even the moments that we don't like. God can use any moment to achieve His purpose.

 The circumstance that we want to pray away so badly is probably the exact circumstance that God wants to use to shape us.

 It is only under the most extreme heat that you can mould the most precious metal. Used properly, heat is your friend.

 So, what did Philip do?

 

2. Do the Next Right Thing

 (Remember the sermon Pastor Eric preached a few weeks ago?)

 Philip fled Jerusalem, travelled North to Samaria. He had no idea what was going to happen next, but he focused on doing the next right thing he knew. He kept doing his ministry, healed the sick, drove out evil spirits, and even brought a sorcerer to Christ!

 He didn't wait for things to "get back to normal" again.

 Then, while he was doing a good job in Samaria, God suddenly interrupted his life again. Philip travelled down south, where he met an Ethiopian eunuch!

 Ladies and Gentlemen! This is the beginning point of Christianity in Ethiopia!

 Who would imagine that this can happen while you are "in between normals"?

 My friend, you will never know what the next right thing will lead you! Be faithful!

 

3. Don't Waste your Waiting

 Over the years I have learned an important spiritual principle.

 Regardless of where God is putting you right now, He has something for you to do, and something for you to learn. God always wants you to contribute in some areas, and grow in other areas.

 Don't waste your waiting. Be faithful. Learn the things that God wants you to learn, and finish the assignments that God has given you. This is how you get ready for the "new normal" to come.

 Don't focus on what you like or don't like, it's irrelevant. Those "don't like" are probably more important than you would like to admit.

 

Reflection:

 As you reflect on God's guidance in your life, where do you think God is asking you to contribute? And What do you think God is asking you to learn?

 

Prayer for Today:

 Dear God,

 I find it hard to stay in this confusing time of "in between normals." But I acknowledge that you have a plan for me. I will learn to be patient. God, I open my heart to your guidance. Please help me discern where you want me to serve, and also where I need to grow. I want to become the person you want me to be, so that I will be ready for the "new normal" when the right time comes.

 

In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

Selfie for EH

This is my jokey one. But I am wearing my favorite mask.

💗

One more class, and Elijah House 201 will come to an end. Because of a resurgence in the virus, we will have our final class on zoom. Almost everyone voted to delay the graduation lunch to the fall when hopefully we will be able to gather together in person. It's been such a precious time, I'm glad we'll be able to see one another face to face again. 

The entire course is centered on connecting our hearts to the Father's heart. 

This is difficult to do because of the many things in our lives that have led us to protect our hearts using our own methods and by our own strength, none of which honor God or involve God. 

I'm starting to see--feel!--how my heart literally scrunches up in on itself when I feel hurt or scared. It has been so normal to me that I never noticed it before. A key teaching of the course is that we need to trust God to protect our hearts. 

Psalm 115:11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.

Psalm 27:3 

This sounds easy and anyone who has been Christian for even a short time will be familiar with these promises. But within the first week of class, I realized how difficult it was, and can still be, for me to trust that God will be the one who protects my heart and that I don't have to be the one who does it.

Last night, my accountability group and I had the opportunity to pray for one of our members, and it was clear to me that she wasn't ready to let God protect her heart in a particular situation. When I saw her resolve to draw up walls around, I thought, "Oh, is that what it looks like? Is that what I look like when I don't give up my fears and wounds to Father God?"

Having experienced healing in some areas, I realized that it is so much better to let Father come into each room of my heart. But I also understand why the sister couldn't go there (yet). It can seem too frightening. 

EH calls this a sign of "unripe fruit," that is, an area that the person is not ready to relinquish. As prayer supporters, we don't go there because it isn't time yet and only the Holy Spirit knows when that time will be.

It's been interesting for me to note that there are areas in my life that I haven't relinquished either. In my head, it makes so much sense to say, "Yes, Lord, please do whatever You want with xyz in my life." But my heart tightens its death grip on those very areas. But at least now I can say this with honesty. I'm not sure why I can't let go and trust Father. Those are revelations that are for Father to reveal in good time. 

To trust God with our hearts ... in a way, that is also a way to put our hearts on the altar as Abraham did with Isaac. Isaac, the son of God's promise and Abraham's heart of hearts .... Abraham had to trust God with his dreams, his loves, his hopes, and everything that mattered in his life. Abraham had to say, "Okay, You've got this. I trust You. No matter what You decide, I'll be okay with it. I could be crushed by this, and I could hurt so much that I can't stand up again. But I'm going to trust that even if that happens, You are right and good."

For a lifetime

To honor is to give weight, or to value.

It doesn't mean we ignore the sin or hurt. We bring those to the cross and ask Father to deal with it. 

But the other side of the cross is resurrection life and that is the new life we are called to. We bless even our enemies. What God created them to be is somewhere there under everything that is horrible. We can pray resurrection prayers over them.

These are prayers not for our sake, but theirs. "Lord, help them be who You made them to be." 

Lesson 1 from Elijah house

"When God sees us, He doesn't see what's right or wrong, but what's missing in us."

It's not like any of us is missing a limb or anything. But their stance is that when we see struggle or "bad fruit" in our lives, it means that there's a part of our hearts that hasn't grown into what it needs to be.

Communion in a time of covid

God's creativity

Me to an extroverted friend at church: I'm going home to nap.

Extroverted friend: And then?

Me: There is no "and then".... 

Friend: Oh, it's "take a nap full stop" .....

Reflection questions (Nehemiah)

How were you taught as a child to deal with failure? What is your emotional reaction when you fail in relationships, the workplace, or your personal values?

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). What makes it hard to admit our own personal sin?

Recall for yourself (or share in your group) ways in which you have seen God's faithfulness to you.

As you rebuild your "new normal," what commitments ("binding agreements") are you wanting to make of your life?

Getting better

Volunteering has started up again!

Jailbreak

I was so happy to spend the day out with human beings.... My lungs felt different!

And the weather was amazing.

We cannot have a crown without a cross

#pruning

The other disruptions

Nice to get out for a bit. We filled the smaller bottles with hand sanitizer.